Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PAWhat I DoI crunch numbers and visualize data to find stories and help explain them to readers as Spotlight PA’s newsroom developer.Pa. State Police resume tracking racial data during traffic stops in response to Spotlight PA reportThe data is critical to detecting potential racial profiling, but the agency had quietly stopped collecting it in 2012.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Jan. 12, 2021Link copied to clipboardPa. sets modest goal to conduct 8,500 coronavirus tests per day, far fewer than what some experts say is needed A Harvard estimate says the state should test about 19,000 Pennsylvanians per day — or more than twice the rate of the Wolf administration’s plan.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA May 1, 2020Link copied to clipboardChampion of Pa. lobbying disclosure law was fined $19,900 for breaking itCommon Cause Pennsylvania attributed the error to technical difficulties, but state officials disputed that claim.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 6, 2020Link copied to clipboardSome local Pa. judges enjoy light workloads as taxpayers pay millions for salaries, pensions, health careA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA found huge variations in how much time each judge spends in the courtroom. Many also work second jobs as lawyers, business owners.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboardPa. to set coronavirus testing, contact tracing benchmarks just days before gradual reopening is set to beginThe state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA April 29, 2020Link copied to clipboardThe Pa. State Police was warned about possible racial bias in car searches. The agency’s answer? End the research.Troopers were 2 to 3 times more likely to search black and Hispanic drivers. Officials are unsure if anything was done to address the problem.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2020Link copied to clipboardPiles of records and months of reporting lead to eye-opening report on Pa. district judgesA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA included a detailed analysis of more than 3.8 million case events, as well as more than 40 interviews.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboardGovernment watchdog group apologizes for violating Pa. lobbying law The head of Common Cause Pennsylvania, Micah Sims, accepted full responsibility for the error and the resulting $19,900 fine by the state Ethics Commission.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 7, 2020Link copied to clipboardRacial profiling in traffic stops? We won’t know, because Pa. State Police no longer track racial data.A nationwide survey by Spotlight PA found the Pa. State Police is one of only 11 statewide law enforcement agencies not collecting race data during traffic stops. In response, State Police officials said they would reverse course and resume collection.Angela Couloumbis, Staff Writer and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Sept. 20, 2019Link copied to clipboard
Pa. State Police resume tracking racial data during traffic stops in response to Spotlight PA reportThe data is critical to detecting potential racial profiling, but the agency had quietly stopped collecting it in 2012.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Jan. 12, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Pa. State Police resume tracking racial data during traffic stops in response to Spotlight PA reportThe data is critical to detecting potential racial profiling, but the agency had quietly stopped collecting it in 2012.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Jan. 12, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Pa. sets modest goal to conduct 8,500 coronavirus tests per day, far fewer than what some experts say is needed A Harvard estimate says the state should test about 19,000 Pennsylvanians per day — or more than twice the rate of the Wolf administration’s plan.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA May 1, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Pa. sets modest goal to conduct 8,500 coronavirus tests per day, far fewer than what some experts say is needed A Harvard estimate says the state should test about 19,000 Pennsylvanians per day — or more than twice the rate of the Wolf administration’s plan.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA May 1, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Champion of Pa. lobbying disclosure law was fined $19,900 for breaking itCommon Cause Pennsylvania attributed the error to technical difficulties, but state officials disputed that claim.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 6, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Champion of Pa. lobbying disclosure law was fined $19,900 for breaking itCommon Cause Pennsylvania attributed the error to technical difficulties, but state officials disputed that claim.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 6, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Some local Pa. judges enjoy light workloads as taxpayers pay millions for salaries, pensions, health careA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA found huge variations in how much time each judge spends in the courtroom. Many also work second jobs as lawyers, business owners.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Some local Pa. judges enjoy light workloads as taxpayers pay millions for salaries, pensions, health careA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA found huge variations in how much time each judge spends in the courtroom. Many also work second jobs as lawyers, business owners.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Pa. to set coronavirus testing, contact tracing benchmarks just days before gradual reopening is set to beginThe state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA April 29, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Pa. to set coronavirus testing, contact tracing benchmarks just days before gradual reopening is set to beginThe state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA April 29, 2020Link copied to clipboard
The Pa. State Police was warned about possible racial bias in car searches. The agency’s answer? End the research.Troopers were 2 to 3 times more likely to search black and Hispanic drivers. Officials are unsure if anything was done to address the problem.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2020Link copied to clipboard
The Pa. State Police was warned about possible racial bias in car searches. The agency’s answer? End the research.Troopers were 2 to 3 times more likely to search black and Hispanic drivers. Officials are unsure if anything was done to address the problem.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Piles of records and months of reporting lead to eye-opening report on Pa. district judgesA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA included a detailed analysis of more than 3.8 million case events, as well as more than 40 interviews.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Piles of records and months of reporting lead to eye-opening report on Pa. district judgesA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA included a detailed analysis of more than 3.8 million case events, as well as more than 40 interviews.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLive Dec. 10, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Government watchdog group apologizes for violating Pa. lobbying law The head of Common Cause Pennsylvania, Micah Sims, accepted full responsibility for the error and the resulting $19,900 fine by the state Ethics Commission.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 7, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Government watchdog group apologizes for violating Pa. lobbying law The head of Common Cause Pennsylvania, Micah Sims, accepted full responsibility for the error and the resulting $19,900 fine by the state Ethics Commission.Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Feb. 7, 2020Link copied to clipboard
Racial profiling in traffic stops? We won’t know, because Pa. State Police no longer track racial data.A nationwide survey by Spotlight PA found the Pa. State Police is one of only 11 statewide law enforcement agencies not collecting race data during traffic stops. In response, State Police officials said they would reverse course and resume collection.Angela Couloumbis, Staff Writer and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Sept. 20, 2019Link copied to clipboard
Racial profiling in traffic stops? We won’t know, because Pa. State Police no longer track racial data.A nationwide survey by Spotlight PA found the Pa. State Police is one of only 11 statewide law enforcement agencies not collecting race data during traffic stops. In response, State Police officials said they would reverse course and resume collection.Angela Couloumbis, Staff Writer and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA Sept. 20, 2019Link copied to clipboard